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Fighting Against Global Warming – A New Development in Carbon Capture with Nanotechnology

Global warming continues to be a
growing concern for scientists worldwide. If action is not taken now, global
warming could change the world as we know it, making it an uninhabitable place.
Not only will animals that rely on the environment die out and become extinct,
but it would develop conditions that humans cannot withstand either. As a
result, governments around the world are now making global warming one of their
primary concerns, for the sake of continuing life on this planet.

Carbon capture is a method that
scientists have been trying to implement to combat global warming. Carbon
capture relies on chemical processes to trap unwanted carbon dioxide before it
is released within the atmosphere. Although this method sounds wonderful on
paper, current methods for carbon capture leads to the production of toxic,
corrosive, and inefficient products. However, Cornell materials scientists led
by Emmanuel Giannelis have turned to nanotechnology to provide smarter and
safer ways.

Currently, the most common method
for carbon capture is amine scrubbing. Amine scrubbing is commonly used it
natural gas and coal-burning plants, which contribute greatly to global
warming. After combustion, flue gas that holds carbon dioxide is forcibly
passed through liquid vats of amines, otherwise known as amino compounds. These
vats help to absorb most of the carbon dioxide from the gas. Then, the gas
filled with carbon is taken away to be reused. However, this amine solution is
very corrosive material and can be dangerous without proper containment.
Containment for hazardous materials such as this is also very expensive, which
means that it will require a large amount of resources.

As a result, researchers have been
trying to discover a better method for carbon capture from as early as 2008.
The latest and most promising option is made with a silica scaffold, which is a
sorbent support, with increased surface area with the integration of nanoscale
pores. The scaffold is dipped into liquid amine is soaked inside the material,
similar to how a sponge absorbs liquid. The material partially hardens and becomes
a stable, dry white powder that can capture carbon dioxide even when there is
moisture in the area. This makes it a much more efficient method of carbon
trapping without unnecessary risks and hazards.

Usually, solid amine sorbents lose
amine over time because the amine is only physically connected with the
material. As the amine is lost, the material becomes ineffective as well as
expensive to maintain. The researches of Cornell have been able to chemically
bond the amine to the material, which has resulted in less amine loss.

Now, the researchers are attempting
to improve the material and optimize it. Once work is complete, they wish to
demonstrate this new material to industries as a safer, inexpensive product
with higher efficiency. The Cornell researchers hope that the material will be
used to improve the Cornell power plant. However, Cornell researchers have also
pointed out that this technology can be used at a smaller scale as well, such
as in greenhouses.